Autonomous drones could be used to keep birds away from planes at airports, preventing them being sucked into plane engines and striking windows. Drones are normally unwelcome at airports (in the UK, for example, pilots now face five years in jail if they fly too close to one), but researchers from the California Institute of Technology have built an algorithm that will enable a single autonomous drone to 'herd' birds out of harm's way. Current methods of minimizing bird strikes include making airports less appealing to birds by removing cozy nesting sites and plants with edible seeds, and...Read more ...